Knitting machine with two-section raise cam



June 11, 1968 L; A. BECKENSTEIN 3,337,456

KNITTING MACHINE WITH TWO-SECTION RAISE CAM Filed Jan. 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Leonard A. Beckensiein Wnness BY W 6 mmliml m; ATTORNEY June 11, 1968 1.. A. BECKENSTEIN 3,337,466

KNITTING MACKINE WITH TWO"$ECTION RAISE CAM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1967 INVENTOR. Leonard A. Beckensrein BY M ATTORNEY WHRCSS United States Patent 3,387,466 KNITTING MACHINE WITH TWU-r ECEKGN RAISE CAM Leonard A. Beckenstein, Farmingdale, N.Y., assignor to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 610,604 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-38) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLOSURE A cumming arrangement is disclosed wherein the raise cam of an independent needle knitting machine is in two parts, the first serving to raise all needles to tuck level when the second part is set to raise needles to either knit or tuck levels.

Background of the invention (1) Field of the invention-This invention provides a circular, independent needle knitting machine of the plural raceway type, being thereby capable of a limited amount of patterning; and which machine is adapted to produce, for example, striped cloth. The invention is particularly directed to raise cams therefor which simultaneously assure needle latch protection and yarn-taking for both tuck and knit cam settings.

(2) Description 0 the prior art.While the prior art is replete with examples of machines with adjustable cams for positioning needles to knit, tuck and welt levels, the combination therewith of a striping or similar capability has presented heretofore unknown, but incompatable, problems. Conventional striping boxes, for example, in a knitting machine distribute yarn across a latch guard; and for the yarn to be assuredly taken by the needles of the machine (during tucking and knitting) the needles must be raised to at least tuck level prior to passing the leading edge of the latch guard, for otherwise the needle latches will remain closed and attendantly certain stitches will be missed. To position a needle raise cam well before the latch guard would probably assure against the missing of stitches but possibly to the detriment of the needles. That is, the needles, when raised to their knit levels, would have their respective latches flapping about free to strike and be broken by the latch guard. To position the raise cam closer to the latch guard would protect the needle latches, but then certain stitches would be missed as noted above. Changing the angle of needle rise so that the needles will be at the tuck level just at the point of entering the feed station is, again, a solution to the problem of getting the needles to their tuck levels just prior to passing the latch guard lea-ding edge, but then at the expense of creating still another problem: The knit level so defined would have to be reached along an extremely steep needle rise, whereby the needles would be subject to breaking as their butts struck the steep raise cam.

Summary of the inventi0n.-TO provide a solution to the problem of having an adjustable raise cam arrangement that is cooperative with, for example, a striping capability, the present invention employs a two-section raise cam. The leading or forward section of the raise cam is designed to raise all needles that it coacts with to tuck level when the trailing section of such raise cam is set to its knit or tuck level, and such leading cam section is of convenient steepness and so positioned that needle latches are always cloth-protected as the needles pass the leading edge of the latch guard. Once the needles are say between the leading and trailing edges of the latch guard, they may be raised to knit level or kept at tuck level depending on the setting of the trailing or main raise cam section. Hence, it is seen that the needles are assured (assuming of course the trailing cam section is set to knit or tuck position) of taking any yarn that is fed across the latch guard; and since the needles are never raised to knit level prior to the leading edge of the latch guard, the needle latches are always adequately protected against breaking.

In its presently preferred form, the two-section raise cam is so arrange-d that positioning of the trailing raise cam section to knit or tuck levels automatically effects simultaneous positioning of the leading cam section to tuck level; and that when the trailing raise cam section is set to welt position, the leading or forward raise cam section is likewise effectively set to welt position. In other words, only one adjustment is needed to set two adjustable cams.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a knitting machine cam arrangement that assures taking of one or more of a plurality of yarns in such a way that needle damage is prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide a raise cam for a knitting machine having a first and a second section, the first being to raise needles to their tuck levels when the second is set to raise needles to their tuck or knit levels.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a plural raceway knitting machine that is adapted to provide a striping or similar capability a raise cam arrangement that assures gainst missing stitches by needles which are raised to their knit or tuck levels, while at the same time assuring needle latch protection.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a raise cam having a leading and a trailing section, the trailing section being adjustable to knit, tuck and welt settings, and the leading section being positionable thereby to tuck position when the trailing section is set to knit or tuck position, and being positionable to welt position when the trailing section is also set to its Welt position.

The invention will be described with reference to the figures wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing the rear face of a pair of cam blocks from a plural raceway knitting machine, showing raise cams according to the invention in their knit, tuck and welt positions; and showing schematically a corresponding needle wave,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cam block of the type shown in FIG. 1, being useful for understanding the construction of the presently. preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the front face of the cam block depicted in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a schematic arrangement showing a raise cam constituting a species of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a pair of cam blocks it 12, together with a plurality of similar such blocks, operate to raise and lower the needle 14 of a knitting machine cylinder in a predetermined manner. The cam blocks ill, 12 are provided with cams at three distinct: levels 16, 18, Zll. The came at the level '18 are designed to cooperate with and raise needles 148, whereas the cams at the level 16 are designed to cooperate with and raise needles 14L, such needles 14L being deliberately shown in phantom because the needle wave as indicated in PEG. 1 is effected solely by needles such as the needles 148. The cams at the level 20 commonly lower whatever needles which have been raised, whether these needles be the needles 148 or the needles ML.

The cam blocks ill, 12 are identical, being respectively provided each with a stitch cam 22, 24!- and cover cams 26, 25. The stitch cams 22, 24 are vertically positionable for stitch length variations, in a manner as indicated in copending application Ser. No. 505,853, by means of an adjustment screw (36, FIG. 5), such stitch length variability being in no way part of this invention. An indicator 31 serves to provide a visual representation of the established stitch length setting. The stitch earns 22, 24 are each respectively secured to supports 32, 34 positionable within respective channels 36, 38; and the cover earns 26, 28 are secured directly to the blocks 1d, 12.

The needle raise cams at the level 18 have respective first, or leading, cam sections 40, 42, and respective sec- 0nd, or trailing, cam sections 44, 46. Similarly, the needle raise cams at the level 16 have respective first, or leading, cam sections 48, 50, and respective second, or trailing, cam sections 52, 54. Cams 56 through 63 are fixedly secured covered cams that assure some restraint on needle travel and form no part of the present invention.

The trailing raise cam sections 44, 46 are pivotally supported by, but fixedly held on, respective shafts 64, 66 that mount within the cam blocks 10, 12. The shafts 64, 66 protrude from the front face of their respective blocks, having secured thereto adjustment handles (68, FIG. 3). Each adjustment handle 68 is provided with a pin (the head 69 of which is alone shown) which may be seated in one of the three cam set positions, viz, K, T, W respectively for knitting, tucking, and welting. Simiiarly, the trailing raise cam sections 52, 54 are pivotally supported by, and fixedly held on, respective shafts 7t 72 that mount within the cam blocks 16, 12, the shafts 7t), '72 protruding from the front of their respective blocks and having adjustment handles (74, FIG. 3) secured to them. Like the handle 68, the handle 74 is provided with 'a pin (the head being indicated at 76) that may be set to knit, tuck or welt positions.

Just as each trailing raise cam section 44, 46, 52, 54 is pivotally supported on a shaft, so too the leading raise cam sections 40, 42, 48, 51) are fixed to, but pivotally supported on, shafts 78, 21), S2, 84 respectively, such shafts being axially prevented from moving by means of collars (86, 88 FIG. 3) held in place by set screws 90, 92.

As above indicated, the positioning of the trailing raise cam sections 44, 46, S2, 54, by means of their adjustment handles 68, 74 to knit positions automatically sets their respective leading raise cam sections to tuck positions; positioning the trailing raise cam sections to tuck positions automatically sets the corresponding leading raise cam sections also to their respective tuck positions; and positioning the trailing raise cam sections to welt positions, effectively sets their respective leading raise cams also to welt positions. This cam tracking is brought about in any given pair of raise cam sections by cooperation between a nose on one section and a pin and recess on the other cam section. With this in mind, reference should again be had to FIG. 1 which shows the lead cam section 40 having a recess 94 that is adapted to accommodate a nose 96 on the trailing cam section 44. Similarly, the leading cam section 42 is provided with a recess 98, and the trailing cam section 46 with a nose 100; the leading cam section 48 with a recess 102, and the trailing cam section 52 with a nose 104; the leading cam section 50 with a recess 106 and the trailing cam section 54 with a nose 108. Emanating transversely to, but contained within each of the recesses 94, 93, 162, 156 are respective pins 116, 112, 114, 116.

To appreciate the manner in which the trailing raise cam sections may cooperate with their respective leading raise cam sections, consider the sequence of cam section pairs 50, 54-42, 4640, 44 as indicated in FIG. 1. With its adjustment handle 74 so that the cam section 54 is in its welt position, the forward carry of the needles 14 will so position the cam 51) downwardly that its pin 116 will sit on the left side (looking at FIG. 1) of the trailing cam section toe 168. Therefore, the needles 14 are virtually unaffected by the raise carn sections 513, 54, i.e. the needles welt in response to actuation by the raise cam sections 50, 54. Rotating a trailing raise cam 4 section by means of its adjustment handle so that such raise cam is adapted to tuck obtains in the manner indicated by the raise cam sections 42, 46 of FIG. 1. In so rotating the cam 46, the pin 112 rides up the left side of the nose 160 until it is set atop the nose 101). As the pin 1112 gets positioned it carries the cam section 42 with it and positions the section 42 to tuck level, the highest most level of the cam section 46 being now just slightly below such tuck level. Since the cam section 46 is set in place, the cam 42 is likewise set in place, this being because its pin 112 abuts against the nose 1%. Therefore, needles 14 which get acted upon by the raise c'am sections 42, 46 are elevated to tuck level by the leading cam section 42, and are unaffected by the trailing cam section 46. With the trailing cam section positioned to knit level by further rotating the adjustment handle as indicated, for example, by the raise cam sections 4d, 44, the pin 1% shifts off the top of the nose 96 as the nose 96 embraces the recess 94, and in so shifting moves to the right side of the nose 96. Since the nose 96 moves into the recess 94 as the trailing cam section 44 is moved to knit position, the leading cam section 40 is not thereby moved off its tuck level. Hence it may be appreciated especially by examining the cam sections 46, 44 and 42, 46 that positioning the trailing cam sections 44 and 46 to respectively their knit and tuck levels automatically positions their respective lead cam sections 40, 42 to tuck level; and setting a trailing cam section to welt level also results in positioning its leading cam section to welt level.

To see how the use of a two-section raise cam both assures yarn taking (for knit and tuck cam settings) and latch protection consider the cam sections 40, 44 (and cam sections 42, 46) and how they cooperate to raise needles 14 to take yarn across a latch guard 118 (and a latch guard 120). The latch guard 11S presents yarn from one of four yarn fingers 122, 124, 126, 127 which are selectively indexed into yarn feeding position by means not constituting a part of this invention. As indicated by FIG. 1, yarn Y is fed by the feed finger 122 which had been lowered to yarn feeding position. The needles 14 are raised by the lead cam section 40 to their tuck level T along a line A prior to their passing the leading edge 118L of the latch guard. As clearly indicated, the latches 128 of the needles 14 are protected within, and by, the cloth prior to their passing the latch guard; and are protected by the latch guard itself once the needles are raised to their knit levels K. Since the hooks of the needles 14 are above the level of the yarn Y draped across the latch guard 118, and because the needle latches are open, the needles assuredly take the yarn Y and form stitches. Were the cam section 44 to have been set to tuck position, the needles 14 would parade past the latch guard 118 as indicated in relation to the latch guard 120, and again they would assuredly take yarn (by virtue of being elevated to tuck level prior to their passing the leading edge of the latch guard), this time to form tuck stitches.

As to the need for a two-section raise cam where a striping or similar capability is embodied by a machine such as a multi-raceway machine, consider the effect of single raise cam pivotally supported, say at P, so that it provides a needle rise no steeper than the needle rise indicated by path A, but which single cam is adapted to raise the needles 14, along a path B, to knit position at the very instant the needles pass the leading edge 118L of the latch guard. Such an arrangement would certainly not damage needles by being too steep (and would certainly permit yarn taking for knit settings), but examine closely what happens when this single cam is set to tuck position, i.e. where the needles rise along the path C. As can be readily appreciated, the needles so tucking would have their latches 123 prevented from opening by the latch guard and, during the feeding of the yam Y, would clearly miss taking same with attendantly dropped stitches resulting. To move this single cam so that it is pivotally supported say at the point P, removes the problem of missing stitches when raising the needles along a tuck path D, i.e. the needles are at tuck level with their latches open prior to passing the yarn finger 122, but this at the expense of latch protection. That is, were the needles to rise along a path E (again, one that is not too steep) the latches 128 of the needles 14 would be clear of the cloth line from the point P until they reached the latch guard leading edge 1181., whereby they would be free to flap about and ultimately collide with and be broken by the latch guard.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form it is to be understood that the words which have been used are Words of description rather than of lirnita tion, and that changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention. For example, it is well within the purview of the invention to use individually settable first and second raise cam sections, although it is, as aforestated, presently preferred and easier to use a cam arrangement wherein there is only one required cam adjustment. As to this latter point, it would be within the scope of the invention to use, say, a cam arrangement such as that depicted in FIG. 4. Here shown is a leading cam section 150 pivotally supported at 152 and having a nose 154 that is adapted to be accommodated by a recess 158 in a trailing, but settable, cam section 160. The trailing cam section is pivotable at 162 and has a transverse pin 164 in its recess which is adapted to cooperate with the nose 164 as above indicated. While the cams of FIG. 4 are indicated in their tuck positions, rotation of the cam section 160 about its pivot 162 causes the nose 1541 to seat on either side of the pin for respectively knit and welt cam settings.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what is claimed herein is:

1. In a knitting machine having a station (122, 124, 126, 128) for feeding one or more of a plurality of yarns to the needles (1d) of said machine, said machine having a raise cam and a stitch draw cam (24), the improvement wherein said raise cam (24) comprises a first section (40) and a second section (44) respectively positioned in the direction of needle travel,

and means (110, 96) on both said first and second sections for determining the positioning of said first section so that said first section is positioned to tuck position when said second section is selectively positioned to knit and tuck positions, and wherein said machine includes means (68) for adjusting said second cam section selectively to knit tuck and welt positions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said knitting machine includes a plurality of raceways (16, 18), and wherein said two-section raise cam is contained within and forms part of one of said raceways.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said knitting machine employs latch needles (14), and includes a latch guard (118) therefor, said latch guard being adapted to distribute said yarns thereacross to said needles (14), and wherein said first cam section (40) is adapted to raise said needles (14) to tuck level prior to their passing approximately the leading edge 01 the latch guard when said second cam section (44) is set to knit and tuck positions.

4-, The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said knitting machine includes a plurality of raceways (16, 18) wherein each of said raceways includes a plurality of cams (40, dd42, a6 and 48, 5250, 54) like said twoseetion raise earn, wherein said machine employs latch needles (l4), and wherein said machine includes a plurality of latch guards (118, 128) adapted to protect the latches (128) of those needles (14) which are raised by the raise cams of said raceways (16, 18), said latch guards being adapted to distribute respective pluralities of yarns (122, 124, 126, 123) thereacross, and said latch guards being so disposed with respect to said raise cams that said needles are raised to tuck level at approximately the leading edges (e.g., 11815) of said latch guards when the second sections of said raise cams are set to knit and tuck positions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first section of said two-section raise cam is adapted for positioning to welt position when said second section (44) of said two-section raise cam is set to welt position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including means for pivotally supporting both of said raise cam sections and wherein one of the sections of said two-section raise cam is provided with a nose (96), and the other section thereof is provided with a recess (94) having a transverse pin (110) therein, said pin (110) being so positioned in said recess that said pin (110) may seat to either side of said nose (96) when said second section of said raise cam is set to knit and welt positions, and when said second section is set to tuck position, said pin (110) seats atop said nose (96).

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including means (68) coupled to said second section of said raise cam for manually positioning said second section to knit, tuck or welt positions, whereby said first section of said raise cam assumes a tuck or welt position when said second section is respectively set to knit and tuck, or welt positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 390,965 10/1888 Heine 66-50 1,651,316 11/1927 Bell et al. 66-50 XR 1,718,648 6/1929 Israelson 6650 2,260,579 10/1941 Miller 66-40 3,012,424 12/1961 Wulliman 66-78 XR 3,299,673 1/1967 Noll 66-38 XR 3,310,962 3/1967 Mahler 6657 XR 3,335,581 8/1967 Pernick 66-50 FOREIGN PATENTS 388,829 3/1933 Great Britain.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner. 

